Global recipes & tales from food & travel writer Kathy Hunt

Month: September 2009

Last month I developed an obsession with blended, iced coffees. You know the ones that I mean — “frappucinos,” “arctic mochas,” frozen mochas.” I just couldn’t get enough of these cold, chocolaty, caffeine-laced treats. From Starbucks to small, independent coffee shops I tried every variation. Endless consumption resulted not only in a bulging waistline but also in some interesting discoveries. Beyond coming to grips with the fact that these drinks are chocked full of calories (depending on the size ordered, between 300 and 700 calories per drink) and fat (between 10 and 21 grams per drink) I learned that every barista makes his drink differently and not every drink thrills me equally. Truth be told, I fell head over heels for the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf’s mocha-licious version yet threw out the slushy, overly sweet offering from Dunkin Donuts after just one sip. As usual, Starbucks served up a tasty but bold brew while Panera Bread delivered something more akin in flavor to a mild chocolate milk shake. Some smaller shops doled …

As a fan of Indian food, I was bowled over by the delectability of Northern Indian cooking. Fresh, flavorful produce, heady spices and sweet, locally grown rice all played starring roles in this region’s cuisine. Likewise chicken, lamb, and fish made frequent appearances in non-vegetarian dishes while legumes and nuts dominated the vegetarian fare. Almost every street cart and restaurant menu featured flat breads such as unleavened chapathi and leavened naan and filled pastries such as the crisp, conical samosa. Foods that I consistently encountered at home turned out to be staples of Northern Indian diets, too. Pureed mint-coriander, chopped mango and piquant sweet pickle chutneys appeared at the start of every meal. Coupled with the chutneys were crunchy, wafer-like papadums, another regular from my U.S. Indian dining experiences. Even the national dish of Britain, chicken tikka masala, occasionally popped up on menus. Originating in the UK, this imported entree emphasized such traditional ingredients as garam masala, turmeric, yogurt, ginger, coriander, tomatoes and, of course, chicken. Along with the usual items were the slightly unusual. …